Georgetown - UMBC 12/8/2021 Discussion

[DanMcQ]

Defend the District.

[RockawayHoya]

Feel like the last game was probably the worst thing that could have happened to the Hoyas. Getting broken down repeatedly at the rim is going to cause this staff to focus on sagging and overhelping in the paint even more than we already do. UMBC a decent shooting team at 36% from 3, and the staff hasn't shown an ability to game plan for specific opponents, especially OOC. A recipe for disaster.

Fingers crossed for a win any way it can come, at this point.

[hoyaguy]

If we cannot beat the SATELLITE U of Maryland then we really deserve to be dead last in the conference, any kind of progress literally just a scrap would be nice

[professorhoya]

Dec 6, 2021 14:27:46 GMT -5 hoyaguy said:

If we cannot beat the SATELLITE U of Maryland then we really deserve to be dead last in the conference, any kind of progress literally just a scrap would be nice

Even if we win, He who must not be named and his agents will be actively trying to sabotage the program. We saw that after the Longwood win.

[prhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 8:28:45 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Dec 6, 2021 14:27:46 GMT -5 hoyaguy said:

If we cannot beat the SATELLITE U of Maryland then we really deserve to be dead last in the conference, any kind of progress literally just a scrap would be nice

Even if we win, He who must not be named and his agents will be actively trying to sabotage the program. We saw that after the Longwood win.

Looking forward to your game prediction to see if you think we will lose again…

[hoya9797]

Dec 7, 2021 8:28:45 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Dec 6, 2021 14:27:46 GMT -5 hoyaguy said:

If we cannot beat the SATELLITE U of Maryland then we really deserve to be dead last in the conference, any kind of progress literally just a scrap would be nice

Even if we win, He who must not be named and his agents will be actively trying to sabotage the program. We saw that after the Longwood win.

1) WTF are you talking about?

2) The Longwood win was pathetic enough on its own to continue this 4+ year ongoing sabotage of the team.

[professorhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 8:50:00 GMT -5 hoya9797 said:

Dec 7, 2021 8:28:45 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Even if we win, He who must not be named and his agents will be actively trying to sabotage the program. We saw that after the Longwood win.

1) WTF are you talking about?

2) The Longwood win was pathetic enough on its own to continue this 4+ year ongoing sabotage of the team.

Double97 Shook!

[rhw485]

There are plenty of threads for you guys to go back and forth on the future of the program (although categorizing some of the back and forth as that is generous).  Trying to look at the game, some things I'm focused on:

• Aminu:  It was a subtle change, but I did notice two drives where Aminu went up off two feet vs. South Carolina, and not surprisingly he made both.  Nova preaches this all the time and I think it would help Aminu finish at the rim, or at least jump stop and then find an easier pass.  He's gotta find a way to be more efficient when he gets to the hoop.
• Defense: UMBC really does have the type of shot profile you'd like to see, very few long 2s, it's either at the rim or from 3.  When we had Tim on the floor, we protected the hoop and let teams shoot from 3.  The last 2 games basically showed teams will go to the rim if we don't stop it and not bother shooting as many 3s.  Can we stop dribble penetration and force them to take long 2s?  We haven't been able to yet against any opponent really.
• Along the same lines, given their size, will we go small?  I know Ewing mentioned wanting to get the ball to Mutombo on offense, but against a team with this size, I'd much rather see lineups without centers
• Non-Aminu freshmen...can we see any signs in the halfcourt?  For me that's the difference between the "play the freshmen" discussion of last year vs. this year.  Last year, we had inefficient (at the time) upper classmen like J. Harris and Bile, so it was easy to argue play the freshmen what do you have to lose.  And yes Bile did turn it around of course.  But this year.. the freshmen are already in the rotation and they're just not showing much of anything while the upperclassmen have been reasonably efficient on offense.  Riley 1-7 from 3, Beard 1-7 from 3.  Billingsley has a 35% turnover percentage.  Now maybe they'll be better at defense and that's the argument but that does seem like a stretch.

For the sake of this board please win, Hoya Saxa

[professorhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 8:45:36 GMT -5 prhoya said:

Dec 7, 2021 8:28:45 GMT -5 professorhoya said:

Even if we win, He who must not be named and his agents will be actively trying to sabotage the program. We saw that after the Longwood win.

Looking forward to your game prediction to see if you think we will lose again…

You're not part of that group. You have too much class.

[professorhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 10:02:58 GMT -5 rhw485 said:

There are plenty of threads for you guys to go back and forth on the future of the program (although categorizing some of the back and forth as that is generous).  Trying to look at the game, some things I'm focused on:

• Aminu:  It was a subtle change, but I did notice two drives where Aminu went up off two feet vs. South Carolina, and not surprisingly he made both.  Nova preaches this all the time and I think it would help Aminu finish at the rim, or at least jump stop and then find an easier pass.  He's gotta find a way to be more efficient when he gets to the hoop.
• Defense: UMBC really does have the type of shot profile you'd like to see, very few long 2s, it's either at the rim or from 3.  When we had Tim on the floor, we protected the hoop and let teams shoot from 3.  The last 2 games basically showed teams will go to the rim if we don't stop it and not bother shooting as many 3s.  Can we stop dribble penetration and force them to take long 2s?  We haven't been able to yet against any opponent really.
• Along the same lines, given their size, will we go small?  I know Ewing mentioned wanting to get the ball to Mutombo on offense, but against a team with this size, I'd much rather see lineups without centers
• Non-Aminu freshmen...can we see any signs in the halfcourt?  For me that's the difference between the "play the freshmen" discussion of last year vs. this year.  Last year, we had inefficient (at the time) upper classmen like J. Harris and Bile, so it was easy to argue play the freshmen what do you have to lose.  And yes Bile did turn it around of course.  But this year.. the freshmen are already in the rotation and they're just not showing much of anything while the upperclassmen have been reasonably efficient on offense.  Riley 1-7 from 3, Beard 1-7 from 3.  Billingsley has a 35% turnover percentage.  Now maybe they'll be better at defense and that's the argument but that does seem like a stretch.

For the sake of this board please win, Hoya Saxa

I'd like Riley to play better. Seems to me that at the very least on offense he should be as effective as Mac McLung was his freshman year. Of course both Mac and Akinjo had the green light to be ball dominant whereas on this team the ball is primarily in Dante's hands and then Aminu.

[conshyhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 10:02:58 GMT -5 rhw485 said:

There are plenty of threads for you guys to go back and forth on the future of the program (although categorizing some of the back and forth as that is generous).  Trying to look at the game, some things I'm focused on:

• Aminu:  It was a subtle change, but I did notice two drives where Aminu went up off two feet vs. South Carolina, and not surprisingly he made both.  Nova preaches this all the time and I think it would help Aminu finish at the rim, or at least jump stop and then find an easier pass.  He's gotta find a way to be more efficient when he gets to the hoop.
• Defense: UMBC really does have the type of shot profile you'd like to see, very few long 2s, it's either at the rim or from 3.  When we had Tim on the floor, we protected the hoop and let teams shoot from 3.  The last 2 games basically showed teams will go to the rim if we don't stop it and not bother shooting as many 3s.  Can we stop dribble penetration and force them to take long 2s?  We haven't been able to yet against any opponent really.
• Along the same lines, given their size, will we go small?  I know Ewing mentioned wanting to get the ball to Mutombo on offense, but against a team with this size, I'd much rather see lineups without centers
• Non-Aminu freshmen...can we see any signs in the halfcourt?  For me that's the difference between the "play the freshmen" discussion of last year vs. this year.  Last year, we had inefficient (at the time) upper classmen like J. Harris and Bile, so it was easy to argue play the freshmen what do you have to lose.  And yes Bile did turn it around of course.  But this year.. the freshmen are already in the rotation and they're just not showing much of anything while the upperclassmen have been reasonably efficient on offense.  Riley 1-7 from 3, Beard 1-7 from 3.  Billingsley has a 35% turnover percentage.  Now maybe they'll be better at defense and that's the argument but that does seem like a stretch.

For the sake of this board please win, Hoya Saxa

I would also like to see someone else step up scoring wise. We basically only have 4 people who score and anytime one or two struggle we lose like Rice 0-10 last game. To date we only had Collin step up once when someone else had an off game. Mutombo has had a few moments in stretches so if we do use a center this game I would like to see him extend those moments.

[iowa80]

Here’s a somewhat off the wall idea that appeals to me—start five freshmen either in this game or maybe against Howard. We can go back to Dante, Rice and Carey after 5 mins or so, but it would be good to see Ryan, Aminu,, Jalin, Tyler, and Jorden forge an identity together.

[Bigs"R"Us]

Need to win this game because Syracuse will be a difficult win.

[rhw485]

Dec 7, 2021 11:11:15 GMT -5 iowa80 said:

Here’s a somewhat off the wall idea that appeals to me—start five freshmen either in this game or maybe against Howard. We can go back to Dante, Rice and Carey after 5 mins or so, but it would be good to see Ryan, Aminu,, Jalin, Tyler, and Jorden forge an identity together.

Respectfully disagree.  Ewing tried all 5 freshmen together in the Dartmouth game and it was a mess.  Not enough shooting, way too many turnovers.  Only Aminu can help much in the halfcourt and it didnt work.  

I actually think the freshmen are struggling because Ewing plays too many of them together in bench units.  Riley would be much better served playing with Dante and Rice to help him from a spacing perspective etc.  Ewing has always a fairly rigid rotation where there are lineups with 1 starter and 4 bench guys midway through the first half

[hoyasaxa2003]

I would really like to see better shot selection on our part. Overall, our guys try way too many long twos. While I really like Dante Harris he does have a tendency to be at the three point line, drive in a few feet, pull up and shoot. Whether those shots go in our not, they simply aren't good high efficiency shots.

I'd really like to see our guys focus on points in the paint and threes, to the exclusion of all else. I realize that is the new approach, but the mid-long range twos need to stop.

[hoyaboya]

Dec 7, 2021 13:28:21 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

I would really like to see better shot selection on our part. Overall, our guys try way too many long twos. While I really like Dante Harris he does have a tendency to be at the three point line, drive in a few feet, pull up and shoot. Whether those shots go in our not, they simply aren't good high efficiency shots.

I'd really like to see our guys focus on points in the paint and threes, to the exclusion of all else. I realize that is the new approach, but the mid-long range twos need to stop.

While I generally agree with the sentiment against shooting long 2s, in the case of Harris specifically, it's got a much higher chance of going in than his 3-pointers do. Harris is 26.1% on threes this season, after shooting 26.0% on threes last season. He's simply not tall or strong enough to shoot threes effectively at this level. It's largely because he tries to get so high in the air on his jump shot (to avoid taller defensive players), that he doesn't have the strength to use his current jump shot form effectively. Professorhoya or somebody like that was talking about Harris this season implementing the "Curtis Staples hitch", whatever that is - which doesn't seem to be working. On the flip side, Harris' 2-point percentage is way up from last season - 46.9% vs. 39.7%. So, for me, if Harris has to shoot, I'd rather he take a 2 than a 3. All that being said, as a team we'd be a lot better off if Harris tried to be more of a distributor and didn't make up his mind so early that he's going to shoot. The problem is that he puts his head down, doesn't look to pass to his teammates, and often doesn't take good shots. But, Ewing seems determined to ride with Harris as his only PG playing the style that he plays, so we're having to live with the results.

[professorhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 13:49:30 GMT -5 hoyaboya said:

Dec 7, 2021 13:28:21 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

I would really like to see better shot selection on our part. Overall, our guys try way too many long twos. While I really like Dante Harris he does have a tendency to be at the three point line, drive in a few feet, pull up and shoot. Whether those shots go in our not, they simply aren't good high efficiency shots.

I'd really like to see our guys focus on points in the paint and threes, to the exclusion of all else. I realize that is the new approach, but the mid-long range twos need to stop.

While I generally agree with the sentiment against shooting long 2s, in the case of Harris specifically, it's got a much higher chance of going in than his 3-pointers do. Harris is 26.1% on threes this season, after shooting 26.0% on threes last season. He's simply not tall or strong enough to shoot threes effectively at this level. It's largely because he tries to get so high in the air on his jump shot (to avoid taller defensive players), that he doesn't have the strength to use his current jump shot form effectively. Professorhoya or somebody like that was talking about Harris this season implementing the "Curtis Staples hitch", whatever that is - which doesn't seem to be working. On the flip side, Harris' 2-point percentage is way up from last season - 46.9% vs. 39.7%. So, for me, if Harris has to shoot, I'd rather he take a 2 than a 3. All that being said, as a team we'd be a lot better off if Harris tried to be more of a distributor and didn't make up his mind so early that he's going to shoot. The problem is that he puts his head down, doesn't look to pass to his teammates, and often doesn't take good shots. But, Ewing seems determined to ride with Harris as his only PG playing the style that he plays, so we're having to live with the results.

Yup he has no confidence in his 3. So what 2003 is asking him to do is basically not shoot from outside if he's not allowed to take long two's (which he seems to make).

Until he masters the Curtis Staples hitch 3pt shot, he will have to rely on his long two shot.

[prhoya]

Dec 7, 2021 13:28:21 GMT -5 hoyasaxa2003 said:

I would really like to see better shot selection on our part. Overall, our guys try way too many long twos. While I really like Dante Harris he does have a tendency to be at the three point line, drive in a few feet, pull up and shoot. Whether those shots go in our not, they simply aren't good high efficiency shots.

I'd really like to see our guys focus on points in the paint and threes, to the exclusion of all else. I realize that is the new approach, but the mid-long range twos need to stop.

I agree for most players. But, for Dante, it looks like he makes that shot regularly. Now, Jordan is another story. I’d rather he shoot from 3 than long 2s. He’s practiced 3s so much; it’s just a matter of time til they start falling.

[drquigley]

Dec 7, 2021 12:07:59 GMT -5 Bigs"R"Us said:

Need to win this game because Syracuse will be a difficult win.

I'm wondering. Does it really matter at this point whether we finish the OOC games with a winning record? Isn't it more important to figure out which frosh deserve pt during the BE season? If we expect this year to not be a complete debacle preparing our frosh for BE games would seem to be more important than beating Syracuse, Howard, UMBC or TCU. Was at the Dartmouth game and it seemed obvious that that was what Ewing was doing. Has he changed because he just wants wins or because he sees that his frosh recruits are not ready for prime time?

[Bigs"R"Us]

Winning certainly helps with confidence and morale. Certainly, playing the freshmen a bit more will help their individual state.